Feb 4, 2013

Pizza Hut's latest pizza novelty is new, limited-time Big Pizza Sliders, which aren't really sliders at all, but instead, are 3.5" mini-pizzas meant to be an alternative to the pizza slice.

Each "slider" can be topped with up to three toppings and come in orders of three and nine. The bonus is that you can top each slider individually (in the 3-piece order; with the 9-piece, you choose the toppings for each set of three), which leaves for a fair bit of variety.

For a box of three, Pizza Hut is charging $5, while the box of 9 Big Pizza Sliders offers a better value at $10.

If you want to sample the goods before ordering, Pizza Hut is giving one free Big Pizza Slider per customer between 4pm and 7pm tomorrow, Tuesday, February, 5, 2013 (no purchase necessary; dine-in or carryout only).

I had my free slider. They are mini pan pizzas. So if you dislike Pizza Hut's pan pizza, don't go near these. The problem I see is you get a much better deal when their large pizza is at $10. Each slider doesn't have much cheese+toppings, certainly much less than a slice of pizza. I wouldn't recommend them.

If Pizza Hut was trying to generate positive buzz through this promotion, it failed big time as far as I'm concerned. My family of 5 stopped by a Pizza Hut carry out location to try the free sliders. They said they only had one slider available. They didn't offer to make more and when I asked if they would make more, the worker rolled her eyes as if I was inconveniencing her and said she could but it would take a "really long time" for them to be ready (I took this as her way of discouraging us from having her make more). So we left and drove a couple miles to another Pizza Hut carry out location to see if we'd have better luck. This 2nd location had two sliders available (sitting on the counter) and we once again asked if they could make more so we could each try one. This time, the worker said he didn't have any more in the back to make. I then asked him if I could buy some sliders instead. He said sure. So I asked how he was able to sell them to me if he didn't have any more in the back to make. He replied that he did have more in the back, but that he wasn't going to make anymore to give away for free. Then he told me that they were only supposed to give one to each family anyway, no matter the number of family members (which I doubt was Pizza Hut's intention). We took our slider and left frustrated. The taste was good and what I expected, but I can't image this was the customer experience that Pizza Hut corporate had in mind when planning this promotion.

Really? You thought PH's intention was to feed entire families for free? As always if you want several free items you have to pretend your family members don't know each other and go through the line as separate parties. This is always the way it goes with free food promos, one per order coupons, and other specials. One per customer means one per group not everyone eats free.